App Links & Deep Linking API

Open links to your domain directly in your Android app with App Links and custom URL scheme deep linking.

The WebViewGold App Links / Deeplinking API enables users to open specific pages in your app from external sources like email, social media, or messaging apps.

WebViewGold for Android supports two deep linking methods:

Standard URL-based Deep Links: e.g. https://www.example.org/subpages/example1
Custom Scheme Deep Links: e.g. webviewgold://https://www.example.org/subpages/example2

Step 1: Configure Your Link Scheme in AndroidManifest.xml

To support standard deep linking, configure your AndroidManifest.xml to associate your domain with your app. Replace www.webviewgold.com with your actual domain (e.g., www.example.org):

AndroidManifest.xml for App Link Configuration

Step 2: Enable Deep Linking in Config.java

In your Config.java file, enable deep linking features:

// Enables standard deep linking (https:// links)
public static final boolean IS_DEEP_LINKING_ENABLED = true;

// Enables custom scheme deep linking (e.g., webviewgold://)
public static final boolean IS_CUSTOM_SCHEME_ENABLED = true;

// Set your desired scheme prefix (must match AndroidManifest.xml)
public static final String CUSTOM_DEEPLINK_SCHEME = "webviewgold";

Step 3: Verify Domain Ownership (for URL-based Deep Links)

To enable deep linking using HTTPS URLs, you must verify domain ownership with Google. Follow the Google Site Verification Guide.

Testing Your App Links

You can test both types of links via Android Studio or terminal:

Using Android Studio: Open the App Links Assistant from the Tools menu for simulation and troubleshooting.
Using Terminal or Command Prompt:
1. Run the following command:
```
adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d "webviewgold://https://www.example.org/subpages/example2" com.webviewgold.myappname
                
```
  - Replace com.webviewgold.myappname with your actual app package name.
  - You can also test with a URL link like https://www.example.org/subpages/example1.

Once everything is set up, users can open your app directly to any specific page using deep links like:

https://www.example.org/subpages/example1
webviewgold://https://www.example.org/subpages/example2

Questions? Ping us anytime!

SDK-style implementation notes

Treat this feature as a native capability exposed to your web layer: keep your production website or PWA as the source of truth, then use the documented WebViewGold configuration flags, URL commands, and JavaScript bridge calls to opt in to native Android behavior only where it adds value. This approach keeps your codebase maintainable because the same web application can serve browsers, WebViewGold for Android, and the other WebViewGold platforms with minimal conditional logic.

For reliable results, prefer HTTPS endpoints, stable route names, explicit success/error states in your UI, and small JavaScript helper functions that wrap native calls. For example, a web app built with jQuery Mobile, Lovable, Base44, Bolt, WordPress, Bubble, a custom React/Vue/Angular stack, or static HTML can expose a single button or event handler that triggers the native WebViewGold API while still showing a graceful browser fallback.

Recommended integration pattern: detect the app context, call the WebViewGold API, then update your web UI after the native callback or route change.
Testing checklist: validate the feature on a real device or packaged build, verify permissions and store review text, and confirm that browser-only users still receive a useful fallback.
SEO benefit: keep feature pages, route titles, and structured content indexable on your website while WebViewGold delivers the native app shell for Android users.